Gold-saving apparatus



(No M0de1.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

D. G. FRISBIE. GOLD SAVING APPARATUS..

Patented Aug ./.M NWC 5 .|55 Ww j hN\ m M. MX Ni Mm W QN m NN. M NR A MN@ W y X U Tw NIMHN S. v1 E N M T A (No Model.) 2 sheets-smet 2. D. G; FRISBIE` GOLD SAVING APPARATUS.

H 4 4E vm M M 1 NM 0 0 rVC M U 2 W g u V1 .A B .d e lTu w\.. -li\, .Tu a D..

i, /w l) W/ TNE SSE S.'

ADENNIS GILBERT FRISBIE, OF DAYTON, WYOMING.

GOLD-SAVING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 545,015, dated August 20, 1895.

Application filed November 14,1894.. Serial No. 528,940. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern: d

Be it known that I, DENNIS GILBERT Fais- BIE, of Dayton, in the county .of Sheridan and State of Wyoming, have invented a new and' Improved Gold-Saving Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to placer and quartz mining, and its object is to provide a new and improved gold f saving apparatus which is comparatively simple and durable in construction and arranged to readily save the nuggets, coarse gold, and our-gold at a comparatively small expenditure of water and labor.

The invention consists principally of a settling-tank discharging at its lower end into a chamber having a'false perforated bottom, and an inclined copper plate forming one side of the chamber, so that the material in rising in the chamber passes over the copper plate to the outlet in the top of the chamber.

The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the same, as.

will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in allthe figures.

Figure l is a sectional side elevation of the improvement on the line l I of Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same on the line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the improvement. Fig. 4" is a cross-section of the same on the line 4 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a similar view of the same on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3, and Fig. 6 is a similar View of the same on the line 6 6 of Fig. 3.

The improved gold-saving apparatus is provided With a suitably-constructedframe A, supporting at its upper end a hopper B, into which discharges the sluice-box C, carrying the Water and gold-bearing sand from the placer-mine or the quartz-mill, as the case may be. i

The hopper B is formed with a perforated false bottom B', over which passthe large ings.

rocks and other coarse tailings to be discharged over the end of the bottom into a tailing-chute D, inclined downward to carry off the tailings. The gold nuggets, sand, and water pass through the coarse perforations in the false bottom B on the inclined bottoms B2 of the said hopper B and into a transversely-extending inclinedchannel B3, containing a gate E and leading into the nuggetbox` F, contained in the upper end of a hopper G, as is plainly illustrated in the draw- This hopper G is 'provided with a perforated bottom G', on which discharges one side of the nugget-box F, the said plate G discharging at its lower end into a transn versely-arranged chute G2, passing at one end at G3 through the side of the hopper Gto discharge the tailings into the 'sailing-chute D, as indicated inFig. 5.

The gold-bearing sand and water passing through the perforations in the plate G' pass into a settling-tank H, having an inclined bottom H and connecting at its lower end with a gold-retaining chamber I, as is plainly illustrated in Fig. 2.

In the top of the tank H and in the rear of the chute G2 is arranged an outlet H2, connected by an opening H3 in the side of the tank H with the chute D, so that surplus water in the settling-tank can pass through the opening H3 to the tailing-chnte D. The chamber I is provided with a perforated false bottom J, between which and the real bottom of the chamber I is placed mercury, so that any gold passing through the said perforated false bottom J is taken up by the mercury to form an amalgam. The perforated bottom J is preferably hung on a leverJ, extending upward and to the outside of the apparatus, to be taken hold of by the operator so as to permit of shaking the plate .I several times during a days operation of the machine. i

The dividing-partition l between the chamber I and settling-tank H carries a copper plate I2, which forms one side of the chamber,

, the other side l3 of the chamber being inclined the plate I2 before passing through the outlet I Itin the top of the chamber. This copper plate l2 is removably held on the partition I', and over it passes the gold-bearing sand, so that any gold contained in the iow is taken up and adheres to the copper plate. The top I5 of the chamber I is slightly inclined, as is plainly shown in Fig. 2, and leads to a hopper L, containing a perforated bottom L', below which is a settling-tankN, similar in construction to the settling-tank H, and likewise discharging at its lower end into a gold-retaining chamber O, similar in construction to the chamber I.

The lower end of the perforated bottom L discharges into a chute L2, connected by a side opening L3 with the railing-chute D, so that the sand or other tailings passing over the said bottom L into the chute L2 are carried to the railing-chute D. The perforated bottom L has iiner perforations or meshes than the bottom G', and the latter is finer than the bottom B in the hopper B. By thus graduating the several bottoms the coarser material is always removed, while the finer gold-bearing sands pass into the settling-chambers, as previously explained.

The settling-tank N has an outlet N2, connected by an opening N3 with the chute D, and the chamber O is provided with a perforated plate J2, held on the lever J3 for agitating the plate similarly to the plate J. The space between the plate J2 and the bottom of the chamber O is filled with mercury, and the said chamber is also provided with a copper plate O2 and an inclined side O3, leading to the outlet O4, which connects with a diagonally-arranged inclined chute P, discharging at its lower side into the tailing-chute D. In the side of the settling-tank N and near the lower end thereof is arranged an outlet Q, normally closed by a stopper, which, when removed, permits of withdrawing the sand and water from the tank when cleaning the machine.

In the bottom of the chamber I is arranged an outlet Q for withdrawing the amalgam whenever deemed necessary. A pipe K extends into the bottom of the chamber I and a similar pipe K extends in the bottom of the chamber O, the said pipes serving for introducing a new supply ot mercury whenever necessary.

It will be seen that bythe arrangement described a small amount of water is required to Wash the material through the several parts of the machine, the water being capable of carrying along a large quantity of the material.

It will further be seen that by the construction as described no skilled labor is required for operating the machine. All the gold contained in the material passing down the sluiceway into and through the machine is Saved, while the machine is not liable to be clogged up by the tailings, owing lto the ready discharge of the tailings at alt times into the tailing-chute D.

By arranging the copper plates on the side of the amalgam-chamber where the water comes in the latter will keep the plates free of sand, and all the amalgam and mercury that comes off the plates is caught in the amalgam-chamber, as the lower edge of the copper plates is near the bottom of the amalgamchamber. As the water and gold-bearing sand come into the amalgam-chamber from the bottom, the water passes up through the goldbearing sand under pressure, and thereby keeps the sand in motion to give the gold a chance to pass through the false bottom and settle in the mercury. e

Any mercury that escapes from the quartzmill will be readily caught and held When passing into this machine.

The lower or last amalgam-chamber is preferably larger than the others and uses less water, so as to give the Hour and flake gold a better chance to settle. The copper plates are for this purpose set lower down, so as to come close to the bottom and thereby prevent a large quantity of water from passing into the chamber.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A gold saving apparatus, provided with va settling tank, and an amalgam chamber into which discharges the lower end of the said settling tank, the said amalgam chamber being provided with a perforated plate forming a false bottom, between which and the real bottom is held mercury, and a copper plate forming one side of the said chamber and upon which the material is deflected by the oppositely inclined side of the chamber, substantially as shown and described.

2. A gold saving apparatus comprising a hopper formed with a nugget box into which passes the material, the said hopper being provided with a perforated bottom upon which discharges one side of the said nugget boX,a settling tank into which passes the material passing through the said perforated bottom, an amalgam chamber into which discharges the lower end ofthe said settling tank, the said chamber being provided with a perforated plate removably held over mercury contained in the bottom of the said chamber, a copper plate forming one side of the said chamber, and a deflecting side arranged in an inclined position opposite the said copper plate, to deiect the material onto the said copper plate, substantially as shown and described.

3. In an amalgamator, a casing having a settling chamber and an amalgam chamber formed therein, the amalgam chamber being provided with an inlet at the bottom of one of its sides and with an outlet at the upper part of the same side, and having its wall on IOO IIO

the side opposite the inlet and outlet inclined chamber being upwardly and rearwardly inf 1o upwardly and toward the outlet, and the setclined, a perforated plate extending across tling chamber being provided With an outlet the amalgam chamber at the level of the merat its bottom connected to the inlet of the oury therein and means for moving said plate,

5 amalgam chamber, substantially as set forth. substantially as set forth.

'4. In an amalgamator, a casing having an DENNIS GILBERT FRISBIE.` amalgam chamber the inlet and outlet open-4 Witnesses: ings of which are formed, respectively, at bot- BENJAMIN F. EMERY,

tom and top of rear Wall, the front Wall of said l PAT M. CLERNON. 

